I've got a week off from digging next week and fancied going on an archaeological walk. That got me wondering what the best archaeological walks in the UK would be.

A challenge then!!!!!! To come up with the 10 best archaeological walks in the UK.

My meagre and obvious contribution is Hadrian's Wall. After that I'm pretty much stuck.

1. Hadrian's Wall
2. ?

The arguments of how pay and conditions (largely for diggers) seem to go round and round with no conclusions, no action, no solutions.

We as archaeologists seem content to argue, locked in our own towers of faith. But what is the answer?

Well, in my experience, history (or the past to be more accurate) holds all the answers.

Ask yourself, how did other workers in the past solve similar problems?

How is it that say the police, or teachers, or lab technicians, engineers get a decent living wage? Can we learn from their history/example?

You don't have to look very far...try the industrial revolution on Wikipedia for a start.

The current state of archaeology, with its low wages and subsequent understaffing, will, with the coming HS2 project, lead to a complete collapse of the industry as the construction companies justifiably ignore the requirements of heritage in the planning process, due to an inability by the industry to provide an adequate level of service. Discuss.

Big thanks to you all!

get along to www.archaeologyskills.co.uk the passports are now on sale. £7.50 plus P&P I feel very happy! only 1 per person however bulk buys allow me to work out a price for postage that is as cheap as possible
This is about skills! Watch out for Career Passport.

Coming soon and a whole series of videos! covering all these skills!

Below is a short message about it and a thanks with champers!


[video=youtube;Me9GiHAJ1qw]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Me9GiHAJ1qw[/video]

Hi all,
does anyone have any recommendations for recording NGRs on site surveys, fieldwalking etc.? Do you still use hand-held GPS devices or have smart-phones taken over? If the latter, what apps do you use? I imagine software that doesn't rely on a phone signal would be pretty essential.
Cheers,
Tom

The dive off the precipis continues... the latest IFA jobs bulletin includes an advert for an Illustrator at a major Cambridge based unit. The salary is technically above minima (£17877-21145), but we all know which end of the scale will be offered, with skills including CAD, GIS and others but notably the final caveat "will also be able to provide advice to less experienced illustrators as required".

This is a professional entry level position so who on earth is going to be less-experienced within the company, and if there is a supervisory compinent they should come clean and pay for it. I know the field archs out there are liable to scoff slightly at 'specialist' positions, and I agree they are equally specialist in their element, but given the suite of technical skills and the time it takes to learn and execute them properly, this just feels like its taking the lead out of my pencil.

just thought it was worth recognising the evident sagacity at ucl as witnessed in their recently placed above minima adverts. i'm sure they will attract many of the high calibre bajrites they deserve, and this will no doubt translate into good archaeological business.

Has anybody come across a septic system called Trench Arch

Its specifications, if that's what you can call them seem to originate from this document http://ew.ecocongregation.org/downloads/TrenchArch.pdf they seem to treat archaeology as a problem.

and this Cumbrian trust seem to want to advertise its use in Gloucester which is a bit odd

http://www.ctfc.org.uk/trench-arch.html

I rang some of these people up, unfortunately a few have passed away but some said that they did not have trench arch and others seem to have been piped into the mains. I got through to one which was put into a Victorian chapel and was told it was alright as nobody had used it.


and then there is this obscure mob who have written this

Quote:The provision of toilets or kitchen facilities will require water, drainage and ventilation. A prior archaeological assessment will usually be required in order to establish the impact of such installations. Subject to archaeological advice, these should be routed underground rather than directly through walls. The use of composting or macerating lavatories can remove or reduce the need for drainage trenches. In rural buildings where use is not heavy and where space allows, the Trench Arch system can avoid deep excavation and complex drainage.

I always thought it was required, if not good practice, to post grey literature reports on the ADS OASIS site. However, there seems to an increasing number of companies not fulfilling this practice. Fair enough if projects are still ongoing and open to tender but in general we all undertake archaeology to provide a resource for all.Most notablly a newbie company in bedfordshire "D? archaeology has just become an RAO after just one year? Fantastic going, but none of their reports have been posted on OASIS? (again a requirement, I thought, of most briefs).This puts those companies religously posting on the ADS site at a distinct disadvantage we are revealing our clients, research and projects to competators.Can anyone clarify this situation?

Next gripe is the rise of the "trainee grade". some really are. I have spent time talking over such positions with a company recently. Others are just because rates have sunk below minima... no worries, we will just call em trainees, mutter something about on the job training, and pay less ... whooo hoo. --- so now you need at least 6 months commercial experience to even get paid the bare minimum for a commercial archaeologist. - tell me... if I have 5 months. does that mean I suddenly go up to the full 17094 rate after a month..? or does that not count?

Other companies seem to be able to afford the enormous £14 a week to bring them up to the bare minimum ----

I may have to bring in a new rule on BAJR... nothing... NOTHING less than 17094 ( unless we have talked about it first, and it is something like a pay grade that needs the bottom level put in for HR Department not to kick up a stink) the words BAJR Approved means, "I knows what goes on, and we have a handshake agreement... that the minima is really (wink) what it should be."

Anyways. before people say... ah... but where do I get experience. it is not rocket science FFS... 6 months is perhaps over long to learn how to write your name and the colour of soil on a context card... or take a digital photograph of a pit..... being good at it... takes time. but really. these are not shaved apes... these are your graduates (in the main) who have shown they can hold a thought and perhaps have a modicum of ability in holding a shovel the right way up... and if not. then it will take less than 6 months to work that one out!

aaaarg! I despair!